Over the last 25 years, hotel chains have relied on online travel agencies (OTAs) in both dynamic and nuanced ways. OTAs have become valuable distribution partners, but the arrangement was not always idyllic. It is not uniform either, as not all tourism markets and countries are using online channels in the same way (Statista, April 2024). In larger hotel companies, higher dependency on OTAs can give rise to profitability concerns that are increasingly difficult to ignore. This is especially the case in well-established hotel brands.